The European Union will need to invest 500 billion euros ($568 billion) into next-generation nuclear power stations by 2050, the bloc's internal market commissioner said in an interview published over the weekend.

"Existing nuclear plants alone will need 50 billion euros of investment by 2030, and next-generation ones will need 500 billion!" Thierry Breton told the Journal du Dimanche newspaper.

Breton also argued that an EU plan to label energy from nuclear power and natural gas as "green" sources for investment is a vital step towards attracting vital capital.